is it beyond my (control)
by BecomeMyObsession
Summary: Horrifying news has Lucifer spinning into a tailspin. Chloe isn't really ready to deal with the consequences. (Part 2/3 of 'dye the soul with the color of your thoughts' series. Yet can stand alone.Rated mature for language.)


So, here is the second part of my three part companion piece story. Little word of warning for you, my dear readers, this gets super dark super fast. The second instalment is probably the most depressing part - although I tried to inject some of the humour we all know and love.

Although this is the second part, you don't have to read the first part if you aren't looking for the larger story. All you need to know is Lucifer and Chloe previously had a conversation about Chloe's moral dilemma revolving around killing Malcolm.

I hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Lucifer."

The Devil in question groaned, rolling over from the bright light filtering in through his windows. He popped open one eye and immediately closed it again, throwing his arm over his eyes. "Amenadiel. Go away, s'early."

"Actually brother, it's late morning." The deep baritone of his Amenadiel's voice resonated in Lucifer's ears. "Shouldn't you be up, flouncing around playing cop with the Detective at this hour?"

Lucifer sighed, shoving a pillow over his face to block the intruding sunlight. Honestly what was his father thinking making the sun so goddamn _bright_ in the morning? Should be a crime. "She's got paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork." He mumbled into the pillow.

The pillow was forcibly removed from his face and Lucifer shot up in protest, immediately grabbing for it back but it was nowhere to be found; the polished floors of his penthouse bedroom empty. Amenadiel had thrown it somewhere probably to never be seen again, and Lucifer mourned the loss of his favorite pillow. "What'd you do that for?" He whined, "that was a perfectly good pillow! It's hard to find good pillows."

Amenadiel glanced over at the empty bed and slowly, deliberately, an eyebrow rose on his forehead. "Forgoing the bedmates as pillows is a refreshing, not unwelcoming, surprise Luci. Have you finally gotten over your need to insistently party until the sun rises?"

Lucifer glared at his brother, running a hand through his currently untamed hair while barely resisting the temptation to throw the bedcovers over his head and just _ignore_ this whole conversation. He really wasn't in the mood. "No." He muttered, "even the Devil needs a little rest _sometimes_." In truth, after his whole conversation with his Detective, he hadn't been in the mood for the _insistent partying_ and had instead spent the night quietly plunking away at his piano while trying to ignore the relentless feeling that he should be doing something _more;_ like perhaps making sure the Detective was okay. But he had forcefully ignored the uncommon feelings and had angrily – at himself - and stubbornly remained put. This whole emotion hogwash was bloody exhausting.

"Right," Amenadiel drawled, glancing around the apartment as if to double check there weren't any naked bodies hiding anywhere.

Lucifer refrained from the need to roll his eyes, somehow. Although his relationship with his brother was still strained, it was a lot better than it had been previously – before the whole being framed for murder and his Mother escaping Hell thing – and Amenadiel had stopped with the continuous nagging of ' _you must go back to Hell Lucifer'_ and ' _you are the ruler of the underworld, go back to where you belong_.' Then again, considering their Mother was still on the loose, that move would be pretty counterproductive. Speaking of their Mother, "why are you here Amenadiel, have you got news on dear 'ol Mum or are you just hanging around being annoying, as per usual." He grinned, enjoying the look of annoyance that flashed over his brother's face before he managed to settle it back into his normal immovable expression of indifference.

"Unfortunately no, I'm not here about our Mother. All is quiet on that front."

Sighing, Lucifer pushed himself up and climbed out of bed. The both of them had spent countless hours discussing what was taking their Mother so long to make a move; was she just hiding in the shadows waiting for the moment to strike? He had a terrible sense of foreboding about the whole thing. His loose black drawstring silk pajama bottoms hung low on his hips as he wandered himself over to the bar to pour himself a much needed drink. "Then why _are_ you here brother?"

Amenadiel had remained in place as Lucifer walked over the bar, now turning and slowly following upon realizing he would not be returning to bed – thankfully. "I'm here about Chloe."

Lucifer froze for a split second, dread flitting across his face for a millisecond and he was grateful his back was turned or Amenadiel would have noticed. He carefully schooled his expression, glass tight in hand, and turned to face his brother. "What about her?"

Knowing his brother, Amenadiel could tell that the fake nonchalance Lucifer was emitting was a front to the controlled apprehension he was really feeling. Lucifer's shoulders were tense, lips set in a thin grave line, as he squared his shoulders and awaited an answer.

"Well? Come on, I don't have all day." Lucifer deliberately took a small sip of his drink, feigning indifference as he stared. He knew Amenadiel probably could see straight through him, but he wasn't backing down without a fight – if needed.

Amenadiel stood silent, looking at his brother in concern as he watched Lucifer's disquiet begin to shift the atmosphere in the room. "Luci, I-"

Lucifer held up a hand, effectively silencing him. "I'm not interested in dancing around whatever is weighing so heavily on your mind before we eventually, yet inevitably, get to the point." Many things may have been a game to Lucifer, this wasn't one of them. If it involved Chloe, he wouldn't be wasting time parrying around the subject.

"Very well." Amenadiel nodded. "Our brothers and sisters have been talking," he hesitated, clearing his throat, "actually more like whispering-"

"Conspiring." Lucifer amended, feeling the curl of dread coil in the pit of his stomach as his brother talked.

Nodding, Amenadiel safely stayed just out of casual conversing reach, understanding how this could go horribly and terribly wrong. He had to approach this carefully, knowing it could all – quite literally – blow up in their faces. He debated with himself for a few seconds before steeling his shoulders. "They've decided Chloe will not be permitted entry into Heaven." The look of sheer horror on Lucifer's face had Amenadiel immediately moving to reassure his brother. "She's fine. At the moment, there's nothing wrong with her. She's at home with her daughter. Alive." He hesitantly moved forwards a few steps, reaching out, trying to placate before the situation quickly got out of hand. "I promise you. All is well."

"Well that doesn't bloody matter now, does it?" Lucifer tried to keep a handle on his rage, but he could quickly feel it building in his chest. Bubbling and boiling like an unmanned pot of water on a stove; uncontrollable. "So what, you've all just decided as one big _family_ -" he spit the word out like it was poison, "that Chloe is _condemned_? _Why_? That makes no _sense_." He hissed, air whistling through his teeth as he gritted them to constrain himself.

"Lucifer, I-"

" _No_." Lucifer growled, deep in his throat. "Why, _brother_ , tell me _why_?" The glass in his hand cracked as he squeezed, knuckles turning white. "She _regrets_ killing Malcolm, she has never done a _bloody_ thing wrong in her whole life! She doesn't deserve _this_."

The glass shattered, shards exploding in all directions.

Both ignored the mess.

"It's nothing to do with Malcolm. She repents; our siblings understand that. It's just-"

He was cut off as the delicate handle Lucifer had on his control snapped and he launched himself across the room, hurtling into his brother and sending them both careening into the wall. Amenadiel's back hit the wall with a thud, Lucifer's hand tight around his neck. "There is absolutely _no reason_ for you all to be so _cruel_. Eternity of punishment for what brother? What has she done that has demanded such a _malicious underhanded_ reaction from you bastards?" He spat each word out deliberately.

"Nothing. Lucifer, nothing." Amenadiel placed a hand on Lucifer's hand that was around his neck. "It wasn't me-" he choked a little but didn't fight back, "I _swear_ Lucifer. I had absolutely no choice in the decision other than being the messenger." The hand around his jugular, despite not needing to breathe, was still tight and uncomfortable and he knew Lucifer could harm him if he wanted. "If it was up to me she'd be allowed, but it's _not_ Lucifer. I hold no authority over who _is_ and who _isn't_ permitted past the gates."

Lucifer's eyes had long since lost all shades of brown, and were blazing red as he squeezed tighter around Amenadiel's neck. "So it's _father_ then? He sends me back up here to capture Mother only to punish Chloe for absolutely no reason?" The growl in his throat was not human, and his form flickered and pulsed as he raged. "Is this all a malignant _game_ to him? Bring me back so he can condemn _her_?"

" _Lucifer_ -" Amenadiel tried to lift his head, yet finding himself with no leverage as Lucifer pressed tighter. "It wasn't him. It wasn't God. He had nothing to do with this." The edges of his vision were starting to blur a little. "I _promise_ you."

Lucifer's nostrils flared and he snarled, roughly shoving Amenadiel back against the wall before throwing him to the side, watching his brother's body come to a sliding stop. "Your promises mean _nothing_." He stalked towards him, fully intent of ripping his brother's lungs from his body and watching him slowly suffocate as he struggled.

Amenadiel held up a hand. "Lucifer-" he paused, " _Lucifer_. Stop!" He pushed himself onto his hands, slowly moving into a crouch. His brother kept coming. " _Stop_." His words were having no effect so he used the weight of his body to shove Lucifer – hard.

His brother went flying backwards, but caught himself and remained upright. The temperature in the room shot upwards so fast that he would have sworn the walls around them tinged red, the lights above them flickering. Lucifer was channeling the fires he controlled, for now the powers of Hell once again bended to his whim. "This is _not_ happening. You will fly your feathery ass _back up_ there and tell the bastards that Chloe belongs _there_." Lucifer bared his teeth, eyes still red, but thankfully no longer trying to wrench the life out of him.

"Lucifer, I can't"

"Yes, you _can_." Lucifer remained still, the shadows around him growing and shrinking as he forced breaths in and out, trying to stop himself from killing his brother.

"No. You don't understand. It isn't _her._ She isn't the reason for her damnation." Amenadiel knew he had gotten through the red haze Lucifer was currently seeing as the lights stopped flickering. "It's you."

" _What_?" Lucifer seethed.

"It's her association with _you_ that has gotten her condemned." Amenadiel warily stood up, keeping his hands by his sides in case he needed to defend himself against another attack. He may have let him take out his rage on him once, but he wouldn't do it again. Lucifer needed to _listen_.

"That's _absurd_." Lucifer growled, "You can't condemn a pure righteous soul simply because she's associated with _me_."

Amenadiel regarded his brother carefully, noticing the gradual settling of the temperature in the room as he got his anger under control. "They see it as she's taken your side. She's chosen the Devil over salvation."

Lucifer breathed in deliberately slowly through his teeth. "That's utter bollocks. If they knew anything, they'd know she doesn't even _believe_." As much as he'd wanted her too, perhaps now it was best that she didn't. Maybe he could find her a way out of this.

Amenadiel shrugged his shoulders. "To them, a sides a side. She's taken yours, so she's condemned to be by yours. Forever."

"That's not happening." Lucifer shook his head, still feeling the rage inside him but thankfully it was caged back up. Killing Amenadiel – possibly the _only_ angel who was on his side – would not have been an advantage. "Of all the things Chloe deserves, all of them _good_ , _Hell_ is definitely not one of them."

"Luci, I-"

He waved a hand at his brother. "Fix it."

"I don't know if I _can_." Amenadiel stressed.

Lucifer growled; struggling to restrain his fury that he could still feel bubbling just on the edge of overflowing. "What of _father_. What does he say to this _– this, disgusting_ vicious move on a part of his precious _angels?_ "

Amenadiel sighed. "Father's been absent for years, Lucifer, the most we've heard from him is when he sent you back up here to re-capture Mother."

That was a new turnabout Lucifer hadn't been expecting. " _What?_ "

Shrugging, Amenadiel could feel the ache in his bones at the weight of the conversation. "No one's heard from him in ages. The rest of the angels have taken over leadership in his absence." He carefully picked his way through broken glass and made his way to the bar, leaning against it for balance.

"So what, he's just _missing_?" Lucifer scoffed.

Amenadiel shot his brother a pointed look. "Well, evidently not now since he sent _you_ back up here."

"Clearly," grumbling, Lucifer kicked a piece of glass with his shoe. "Chloe is not going to Hell."

He said it so matter of factly that if Amenadiel didn't know the full weight of the situation he would have believed him. "Lucifer-"

" _No_." Lucifer's eyes once again flashed red. "You'll fix this."

Shaking his head, Amenadiel didn't really know what answer would placate his brother into understanding that there was probably nothing he _could_ do. "There's noth-" He balked as Lucifer, in a beat of a second, flashed from across the room to directly in front of him.

His form pulsing, rage all consuming, he bored holes into Amenadiel's head. He resisted the urge to wrap his hands around the other angel's neck and squeeze until his eyes popped. "Stop saying you _can't_. You _can_ , and you _will_. She isn't going anywhere other than the holy pearly gates of Heaven."

"Lucifer-"

Lucifer gripped the lapels of his brother's ridiculous looking long coat and pulled him up short. " _Yes_ , I know my name _Amenadiel_. Kindly stop repeating it and give me a _real_ answer instead of the rehearsed shit you keep trying to feed me. I'm not buying."

"Brother-" before Lucifer could throw him across the room once more he noticed Amenadiel's eyes flickering over his shoulder, and back to him, before purposely looking back over his shoulder.

Lucifer dropped his brother, feeling him land on his feet with a vibration as the floor yielded slightly under the sudden intense weight. Swallowing, hard, he slowly turned around coming face to face with a pair of shocked – _terrified_ \- blue eyes, and the floor metaphorically flew out from under his feet as his Detective was staring at him in utter _terror_. Eyes wide and hands over her mouth, lips opening and closing before managing a small whispered: "Lucifer," she stumbled a small step backwards, "what-?"

Chloe had managed to complete all her paperwork in record time. Especially without Lucifer around; distracting her to the point she wanted to pull her hair out. After her, slightly- _uneasy_ , conversation with Lucifer she had grabbed the rest of the paperwork from her cubicle and taken the rest of the day off. Rare, but decidedly needed. The paperwork could be filled out at home, in the safety and comfort of her personal belongings and her daughter's presence.

She'd been up the better part of the night, knowing she wouldn't get much sleep anyway, and plowed through the pile of paper as quick as she could. Finally reaching the bottom at around 3.20am, and had managed to grab a few hours before waking up at 7 to call Monroe and let her know she was finished. That she was taking today off as well to recuperate, and she'd focus on the therapy so she could get back into the field starting from tomorrow.

Not really knowing why, but after dropping Trixie off at school and doing a quick morning workout session at the gym, she had headed to Lux to let Lucifer know the hordes of paper had _finally_ been completed. Maze was, weirdly, nowhere to be seen as she stepped into the building and headed for the elevator that took her to Lucifer's private loft. He'd installed a few extra security measures since the whole _being shot by insane socialite_ – or so he'd claimed – occasion, and so she pressed her thumb onto the keypad so it could take her fingerprint. Watching as the mini screen tinged green with her name and the elevator started moving. Unable to resist rolling her eyes at the over-the-top bond-style security. She'd teased him about it when he'd first had it installed. Why couldn't he just go with a normal passcode? Or a key fob? But no, this way he insisted she didn't have to remember any codes, or if there was an emergency her keys didn't have to be top priority. She would be lying if she didn't say she was a little touched; but undoubtedly knew that wasn't the _only_ reason. Boys and their toys.

When the doors pinged open she was privy to the state of Lucifer's apartment. There wasn't anything that screamed _danger_ , but as the light reflected off the piece off glass she could see; she knew there was something _off_. The atmosphere had the fine hairs standing to attention on the back of her neck. Seeing no immediate danger, she carefully stepped out of the elevator; hand floating around her waist where her holster held her gun. She may be off duty, but she always came prepared. Especially around Lucifer, he attracted danger like a fire attracted oxygen. She flexed her fingers, moving gingerly into the apartment and stepping over a few shards of scattered glass. There wasn't much of it, so she guessed a broken glass that had scattered pieces everywhere. With the spread of the glass through, it must have been a powerful explosion.

She came up short when she noticed Amenadiel leaning on the bar, Lucifer across the room glaring hard at nothing in particular. Brotherly squabble? By the look of Amenadiel's face and Lucifer's heavy breathing she deduced it had to be something more than a simple disagreement. She'd seen them fight before, or rather seen the impact of the fights, but he'd never really let her know what they were about. Silently, she slipped back around the corner, peeking her head around and listened. Why she was prying, she wasn't completely sure, but she wanted a further look into Lucifer's personal family life before he noticed her and shut it all down from her again.

"Clearly," Lucifer grumbled and she watched as he kicked a piece of glass with his shoe. "Chloe is not going to Hell." Her eyes widened, he sounded so sure of himself, but what the Hell was going on? Why was he talking to his brother about _her_? What didn't she know?

"Lucifer-"

" _No_." She couldn't his face from this far away but she could have sword the temperature in the room soured up a few degrees. "You'll fix this."

"There's noth-" Amenadiel was speaking, but he was cut off as Lucifer _teleported_ across the room. Appearing in front of him. Chloe let out a quiet gasp, her heart rocketing up and her breath catching in her throat. She watched in silent horror as Lucifer's form seemed to shift, or rather pulse, into what could only be described as _burning red leather._ His skin was cracked, yet seemed to reflect the light, scattering in all directions it was difficult to focus on… and it burned. So brightly it hurt her eyes.

He was angry. No, _not_ just angry, all-consumed with _rage_. "Stop saying you _can't_. You _can_ , and you _will_. She isn't going anywhere other than the holy pearly gates of Heaven."

Amenadiel's eyes landed on her, widening slightly, and her whole body jumped in shock as they seemed to pin her in place. She stared back at him, locked in position. "Lucifer-"

She watched as Lucifer gripped the lapels of his brother's coat, lifting him slightly off the ground, and ignoring the way Amenadiel was no longer looking at him. " _Yes_ , I know my name _Amenadiel_. Kindly stop repeating it and give me a _real_ answer instead of the rehearsed shit you keep trying to feed me. I'm not buying."

Chloe carefully slipped out of her hiding place, coming into full view so she could assess the scene properly. Her brain spinning at a million miles an hour. Lucifer was telling the truth. The _whole_ time. He really was, she balked and swallowed roughly, the _Devil_. The lord of the underworld. _Satan_. As he'd kept telling her. Over and over. And yet she'd refused to believe. But, but- _now_ she believed. Oh holy Hell, if she wasn't so alarmed she would have found that term of phrase amusing. She couldn't deny what she'd just seen. Unless she was going crazy, which wouldn't be a surprise considering recent events, but her eyes were open and she was pretty sure she was completely alert. She bawled one hand into a fist by her side, the other coming up to cover her mouth as she sMothered another gasp as she watched Lucifer freeze. Catching onto what his brother was silently communicating. Chloe debated running, spinning on her heels and hiking it out of there. But she'd _heard_ what he'd said… and it was about her. She _knew_ it was about her, and- her thoughts came to a scattering halt as Lucifer finally, slowly, turned around.

He stared at her, eyes flickering over her form as though to double check she was okay, before he met her eyes. She hated to admit it, but she was _afraid_. Her whole body trembled without her permission. "Lucifer," she shrunk back a few steps, dropping her hands. "What-?" Her breath halted and she faltered, not really knowing what to say.

He remained perfectly still, for less than a minute, before his hands raised slowly. "Detective," all the rage that had been consuming him seemed to vanish, and he visibly deflated, shoulders dropping. He sent her a small sad smile, voice just above a whisper as he watched her retain her carefully placed distance from him. "I guess you believe me now."

She nodded, once, eyes flitting to Amenadiel who was watching both her and Lucifer. His wise gaze flickering between the two as he regarded them. "I don't-" It appeared she'd lost all ability to speak, so she simply stared at him. She took a deep breath, trying to set her shoulders and failing. She took a stuttering step back to the wall behind her, feeling it firm and supportive behind her back. "It's all true." She whispered, having no doubt Lucifer heard her as his eyes softened and he took a small step towards her.

Having nowhere to go she could only flinch as he moved. He stopped immediately, coming up short, and something akin to pain flashed across his features, before he hid it. "Chloe," he paused, turning his head to look at Amenadiel before frowning. Keeping his voice deliberately gentle, soothing even, he turned to look back at her. "How much did you hear?"

 _Too much,_ her head taunted. Instead she answered, "enough." Still watching him, eyes once again moving from him, to his brother, and back again. The truth of what she'd heard finally hitting home and her knees gave out. It was all _true_. She sunk to the floor; yet kept her head up so she could keep her eyes on them, "I heard enough," her voice a broken whisper.

Lucifer looked on, eyes soft and wary as he approached her. As though she was a deer in the headlights. She internally scoffed at herself, she probably did look like one all sunken in the corner like a scared mouse. She stared at Lucifer as he crouched down in front of her. "Chloe, I-" He cut himself off.

Chloe still wasn't thinking in more than broken sentences, "you're-" she felt lightheaded.

He nodded, hands held out with palms up. She'd taken a few psychology online courses to help with her job, especially after being unable to profile Lucifer, _at all._ She understood the gesture to be a submissive one. Non-threatening; he was trying to tell her she wasn't in any danger. But he didn't _understand…_ She blinked, feeling over exposed, and exhausted to the very core as the truth settled deep within her bones. "I'm going to Hell." Her voice sounded broken, cracking at the end as she dropped her head.

Lucifer immediately placed a finger under her chin, raising her head so her eyes met his. His expression was grim, but when he spoke his voice was soft and steadfast. "No. _No_. That's _not_ happening. We'll stop it, I promise."

She really wished she could believe his words, as strong as he uttered them, but Amenadiel coughed behind him and she knew instantly that there was little hope of that, none at all probably. Lucifer's eyes had hardened at Amenadiel's interruption and he growled, low in his chest. He was so close to her that it vibrated right through her. " _Amenadiel_. Kindly fuck off. Your negativity isn't helping anyone."

There was a flap of wind and when Chloe glanced around Lucifer, his brother was gone. Just like that. She looked back at the man – _Devil_ – in front of her, unsure why he had sent him away, "why-?"

His slow careful smile cut her off and he held out his hands for her to take. She stared at them for probably a beat longer than she should have, eyes flicking between the offered hands and Lucifer's face. But looking into Lucifer's eyes she knew he wasn't going to hurt her, and hoping to God – not that it mattered she thought bitterly – that her intuition was right, she slowly placed her hands into his. He curled his fingers around the edges of her hands for support and gradually began to stand up and she went with him. He pulled them both back to their feet. "There, much better."

She tried for a smile, but it felt too watery and her eyes welled up faster than she would have thought possible. "Lucifer," unable to get out what she was trying to say, she felt the first tear slip down her face and she buried her head into her hands, feeling utterly pathetic. She took in a rapid wavering breath that broke at the end and she choked as her shoulders began to shake. She felt two hands pull her forwards, and she went willingly and embracing the comfort Lucifer was providing as he wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to sob into his chest. He was silent as she began to shake, letting her work through her sobs as they wracked her body. As the shakes gradually became quivers, she noticed the soothing little circles he was rubbing into her back. Sniffing a little, she pulled her head back and cringed at the wet patch she'd left on his shirt, "m'sorry."

He shrugged, although she knew it probably bothered him more than he let on. "Shirts can be replaced." He pulled her back by placing his hands on her shoulders, so he could look at her, his eyes scanning her face for any hints that she was about to break down again. "I'm the one who should be apologizing," he murmured, watching as she composed herself and tried to blow her hair away that had plastered to her face. Gently, as not to shock her, he smoothed it behind her ears.

Closing her eyes for a second, she shook her head, trying to ground herself by lightening the conversation a little, but knowing her sentence fell flat as soon as she'd uttered it. "I'm guessing it's not every day the Devil apologizes."

He knew what she was trying to do, and he gave her points for remaining brave despite her situation. "No-" he paused, frowning, his thoughts suddenly catching up with his mouth, "wait- you, you're not scared of me?" His brain decided to throw up the image of his terror ridden Detective when he'd first laid eyes on her at the beginning of all this.

Mulling over the question, Chloe shook her head as she let Lucifer guide her to the couch and she sank down on it gratefully. "I thought, maybe, I was-" the pain in Lucifer's face had her speaking more quickly, finally finding her words as she rushed to reassure him, "-but I'm _not_. I'm _not_ Lucifer. You're not evil. You're just a little messed up." She laughed weakly, the sound feeling odd in the atmosphere of the room. She sniffed. "I think we're both pretty messed up." He grinned, the smile no way near as bright as it usually was, but he understood what she meant. "But," she stalled, looking at him and away at the broken glass on the floor, "I'm still terrified." She admitted, feeling a bit shameful for revealing how afraid she really was.

"Of going to Hell." Lucifer clarified, voice blunt.

Eyeing him carefully, she nodded. "I-"

"No reason to justify it with me, Detective. I understand perfectly well the horrors of being sent to Hell when you don't think you belong there."

She watched him swallow, and her stomach sunk in guilt at all the old memories she was stirring. "I'm sorry."

He abruptly turned to her, shock highlighting his features. "You've got nothing to be sorry _for_ , Chloe, this is _my_ fault."

He was mentally eating himself, she could tell, and it grated her insides to see him in so much pain. Because of _her_. "No, I mean for bringing all this up for you again."

He looked at her. "Ah," his smile looked real, but it felt stretched too tight over his skin. "If I had never _attached_ myself to you in the first place, none of this would be happening." Lucifer had tagged along with her, and his insistence to work with her was the reason Chloe was now condemned. This whole bloody mess was his fault and he hadn't a clue on how to fix it. They were punishing _her_ because of _his_ mistakes. He could feel the anger he'd buried deep when Chloe had shown up slowly churning in the pit of his stomach. But he repressed it when he looked over at the woman who had changed his entire view on _everything_ human, a woman who was now looking at him, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears.

"Lucifer, I let you. Before you disagree, hear me out. You may have annoyingly, with all your irritating alluring persuasion skills, muzzled your way into my cases; but I _let_ you. I let you become my _friend_ , and I let myself _care_ about you. That's on _me_." Trying to get Lucifer to see reason was the same as trying to get blood from a stone. But maybe, _maybe_ , if she pushed hard enough she could crack the stone and get through to him. " _I trust you."_

That meant more than Lucifer was able to admit. He stared at the woman who had fundamentally changed the Devil, and found himself wondering how on earth he'd managed to end up with something so lovely and pure, and he'd gone and ruined it. Her soul may still remain pure; but it was condemned to a place where even the most innocent of souls suffered unending pain and agony. "Detective, I promise you. I give you my _word_. That I will _not_ have you suffer in Hell at the hands of my demons."

Her responding sad smile held enough regret that it had him taking her hands in his and staring into the depths of the most genuine soul he'd ever encountered; he gently reminded her, "my word is my bond." He watched his Detective swallow, her head turning to stare out the large windows. Her eyes were haunted as her mind was elsewhere. On the future that she thought was sure to come. The depth to her was unfathomable and he knew he had to save her. Get her out of the mess _he'd_ landed her in. How he was going to do that he had no idea, but he _had_ too.

For the sake of both their souls.

* * *

 _Specifically for FF_ : There was guest who asked me why I did not use caps for the title of the first part (you'll notice I did not here as well). That is because sometimes I prefer the format of titles when there are no capitals in the wording. A personal choice. I try to make all my other grammar and spelling accurate as I can. I wish you'd posted something more than that because it was rather cold. And for that since I am unable to disable the right for guests to leave reviews, I am putting moderation on and will deny any reviews that I find unsettling. I have written on my profile - if someone has an issue, please PM me, do not leave it in a review. I write for fun. It is not a job. Thank you.

 _Moving on._

This was a lot longer than I expected it to be, and the third part will be the longest section yet - so it may take me a little longer to get it written as there's, urm, lots to cover.

Thanks for reading! I'm hoping you'll still drop me a little comment, even if I upset you a wee bit? *cringe* sorry.


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